The Profound Practice of Shifting Thoughts

Teachings from Namo Amituofo, recorded and transcribed by Venerable HaiZe, on the occasion of the noon offering on the 30th of May, 2025.

The Alchemy of the Mind

Shifting thoughts is a profound practice that occurs in the very moment of change. When you consciously shift your thoughts, you initiate a powerful transformation within your entire being. This is the alchemy of the spirit, where the following shifts take place:

• Darkness to Light: You move away from the shadows of ignorance and into the clarity of Wisdom (Prajna).
• Evil to Goodness: You replace harmful intentions with the seeds of virtue.
• Wrong to Right: You align your path with the Universal Principle, the Truth, and the Right Way.
• Hatred to Compassion: You dissolve the fires of resentment and replace them with the cooling waters of mercy.

When your heart experiences turbulence, you must learn to calm these waves. Whether the fluctuations are large or small, you must guide them toward stillness. This practice extends to every aspect of your perception and conduct:

• Seeing: You learn to look past the faults of others and see their potential for goodness.
• Thinking: You replace negative, self-defeating thoughts with positive, constructive ones.
• Speaking: You transform harsh or critical words into speech that is gentle and encouraging.
• Acting: You replace harmful deeds with actions that benefit all beings.

Returning to the Holy Name

Everything you do can be conducted through this process of shifting thoughts. When you do this, you truly give rise to all roots of goodness and achieve the fruit of Bodhi. This is how you plant the seeds of goodness that will inevitably manifest as a beautiful, liberated result in the future.

You must learn to turn away from your delusions, discriminations, and attachments. Instead, immerse your entire heart and mind into the six-character name: Namo Amituofo. By doing so, you receive the Buddha's blessings, which provide the strength to leave behind the cycle of false thinking and ego-driven perceptions.

Compassion and the Wisdom of No-Self

Shifting thoughts is an act of profound compassion and Wisdom (Prajna); it is the hallmark of a wise person. We must understand that when other beings act out of their own shortcomings or deficiencies, it is simply because they have not yet realised the true nature of reality. Because they are still trapped by their ego and stubborn "self", they create various forms of karma and suffer the painful consequences of those actions.

Therefore, you must treat them with compassion and use the Wisdom (Prajna) of shifting thoughts to respond to their state. When you observe the Body, Speech, and Mind of another, you must ask yourself: if you have truly attained a state of no-self, if you have no personal grievances, and if you are not clinging to the past, present, or future, then you will naturally be able to embrace their shortcomings and deficiencies with an open heart.

Healing the Body-Mind-Spirit

Shifting thoughts is the most concrete action you can take to change your personality traits. When you shift your thoughts, the beings within our bodies who have been harbouring resentment and anger find release and peace. Consequently, your Body-Mind-Spirit purification will follow, leading to the alleviation of suffering and even the healing of chronic illnesses and physical pain.

When you master the art of shifting thoughts, your relationships with others will become harmonious. You will no longer face one another with anger or hostility. As your Wisdom (Prajna) manifests, you will find yourself at ease with all aspects of the Dharma. This is the essential condition for any practitioner who truly seeks to realise their true nature and attain the state of an awakened being.

Namo Amituofo